


Revenge

by crimson_wake



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Police, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Humor, Bisexual Male Character, Consensual Sex, Corruption, Eventual Smut, Hand Jobs, Interrogation, Lesbian Character, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Murder, Panic Attacks, Police Officer Bokuto, Police Officer Kuroo, Prison, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Revenge, Serial Killers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-25 06:22:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6184069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimson_wake/pseuds/crimson_wake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akaashi Keiji is violated by an unknown assailant in high school. From then on he vows to take revenge on his attacker and will stop at nothing even if it means he has to resort to unsavory methods. </p><p>Bokuto Koutaro is a young up and running detective fresh out of the academy with his partner, Kuroo Tetsurou. He's assigned to a case of murders and attacks that leave him to believe it's all one mastermind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. March 15th, Wednesday

**Author's Note:**

> this chapter contains graphic noncon elements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have something fucked up, such as this, you want written you can requests dark themes here: Kat-writes-weird-things.tumblr.com

Akaashi Keiji was a model student at Fukurodani Academy and was seen as a role model by many of the underclassmen. He was always polite to everyone around him regardless of status or age. Despite his growing popularity among the students and staff he continued to remain stoic, unaffected by all of this attention until recently.

He had stayed after school longer than usual and that was his first mistake. A teacher of his had asked him for his help before he left since there were no other students around; how could he decline? As long as he made it home before it was dark then everything would be alright, he decided.

By the time he had left the school, the sun was just about to set and it would be dark in a matter of minutes. Akaashi didn’t by any means live in a dangerous or sketchy neighborhood but he lived in the city and once it was dark there was no telling what could happen. He had walked home in the dark before but that hadn’t been for years since he was but a child and just didn’t know better.

Taking a shortcut through the park was his second mistake. Akaashi hadn’t passed through this park since he was a child trying to run home long after the sun had set before dinner to avoid a scolding from his mother. He supposed now wasn’t any different from then as he walked across the soft dirt.

“‘Scuse me,” A gruff voice from behind him speaks suddenly and he jolts in surprise before turning around to face the man calling out to him, “Do you happen to know where I can find this address?” He holds out a piece of paper in front of him with an appreciative smile. His accent was a bit loose and he didn’t sound like he was from the area. On his wrist was a tattoo of a blue sunflower. Weird. His third and final mistake was talking to this stranger and he would come to regret it for the rest of his life.

Approaching the seemingly confused man, Akaashi peered down at the small piece of paper residing in his hands only to find it was blank. Furrowing his brows in confusion he doesn’t even have time to respond when the man’s fist comes into contact with his jaw, the impact knocking him to the ground.

“What are you-” He asks angrily before a hard kick to his gut silences him with the exception of harsh coughing and pained cries. His back is pressed against the dry dirt with his arms wrapped around his stomach and sides protectively. The man now looming over him gives a toothy grin before punching his face repeatedly, leaving him bruised and disoriented. He opens his mouth to scream as loud as he could but he's stopped when the man’s hand clamps over his lips, his calloused fingers pressing roughly into his cheeks.

“Don’t scream or else, Keiji.” He warns in a low voice before gripping his hair and roughly snapping it back to force him to look at him. The man can see the fear in Akaashi’s emerald hues from the light of a nearby lamppost as he straddles his waist, pinning the defenseless boy’s body down and pushing him further into the dirt. Removing his hand slowly from his mouth, the man plunges two of his large fingers into his victim’s warm, wet mouth. He coughs and gags on the appendages forcing their way into his mouth. His nails scrape against the back of his tongue and he’s sure he’s going to vomit.

“S-Stop-!” The high school boy chokes out helplessly before the two fingers are pushed deeper into his mouth. They massage his tongue and occasionally against the inside of his cheeks, collecting as much saliva as possible while simultaneously choking him. When they’re suddenly pulled out, Akaashi coughs violently as he gasps for much needed air. The man gives a low grunt as he lifts himself up and grabs the boy beneath him by the hips before flipping him over and pressing his face into the dirt with his back arched and ass up in the air. He begins unbuckling Akaashi’s belt and his terrified eyes widen as he begins to struggle again, thrashing and kicking against his assailant.

“Enough of that.” The man lets out a guttural grunt of annoyance as he grabs a fistful of the boy’s short hair and lifts it from the ground and then proceeds to bash his face into the ground. The boy was sure if there weren’t dirt beneath him he would have broken his nose or worse. His assailant moves his hand to grip him by the back of his neck to keep his head pressed to the ground as the other works his belt off from the loops of his trousers. Akaashi digs his knees further into the ground in hopes that he can’t remove them properly as he silently fought against him. Seeing this, the man simply smirked amusedly and pushed his trousers down to his thighs, revealing his black boxer briefs.

 _‘Oh god,’_ His mind races and he feels his heart hammering in his chest as panic begins to swell within him, _‘He’s a pervert…!’_

“I’ve been watching you for awhile now, Keiji,” He lets out a hoarse laugh and he sounds as though he were a chain smoker, “And you look much better underneath your uniform than I thought…” His hand lets go of his neck and begins to trail down his curved back before moving to his chest as he begins unbuttoning his shirt. Akaashi shudders violently against both the cold and the man’s foreign, unwanted touches.

“Please, stop,” He begs as he tries to shy away from his intrusive touches to no avail, “If you let m-me go I won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

“I know you won’t, Keiji.” He chuckles darkly and roughly pinches one of his nipples, earning him a high pitched cry from the boy. With his other hand, the man begins rubbing his large hand on the insides of Akaashi’s thighs before he begins palming at his flaccid cock lazily through the material of his boxer briefs. The boy tenses and his breath catches in his throat. He was the only person to have touched his own cock, such as when he masturbated, but now it was being touched by someone else- someone he didn’t even know.

 _‘Stop touching me-!’_ He wanted so desperately to scream out but bit his lip harshly instead as his legs began to shake once he realized just exactly how far this was going to go. His nipple is given one last aggressive pinch before his assailant's hand is rubbing his large hand down his chest and stomach before ultimately it’s resting on his ass.

“Do you like it from the front,” He continues to stroke his now half-hard cock to emphasize what he’s saying, “Or from the back?” He hums amusedly as he begins to massage his left cheek with his hand, causing Akaashi to tense up. “Guess we’ll have to find out, won’t we?” He laughs again and he swears it sounds like a classic villainous laugh.

“Please, no, no, d-don’t…” Akaashi tries again, his hope of escaping being crushed to a minimum. The man says nothing as he hooks his hands beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs and slowly, as if humiliating him even further, pulls them down to rest on his thighs along with his trousers. Resting comfortably behind him, the man resumes stroking the boy’s now free cock until it’s fully hard and beginning to drip with pre-cum. He hated this; he hated this so much and yet his body was responding when his mind was practically screaming how much he disapproved. Why was his body reacting like this? Feeling warm air on his ass, he turned his head as best as he could only to find that his assailant was spreading his cheeks apart and blowing air against his puckered hole, causing it to twitch involuntarily.

With his cock being pumped with one hand, the man presses his lips against his left cheek and bit down hard, causing the other male to yelp in pain. Licking the minimal traces of blood from the wound, the man dragged his tongue across his cheek and to his hole. The man spread his cheeks apart even further and flicked his tongue over his hole which twitched under the stimulation. Akaashi could feel the tip of his tongue penetrate him and he whined pathetically at the intrusion as his cock continued to weep with pre-cum.

Tears began to cloud his vision and roll down his face, seeping into the dirt beneath his body. He also wishes he could just seep beneath the dirt and hide. Unfortunately, his mind rips him away from his momentary apathy and throws him back into his disillusioned reality. His whole body trembled beneath his touch and his cock spurt familiar white fluids and he sobbed.

Retracting his hand from his now soft member, the man hastily licks the fluids from his fingers. He moves away from him and for a naive moment Akaashi thinks he’s going to be let go until he hears the distinct sound of a fly coming undone.

“No!” Akaashi screams with new found strength and determination. His flame is quickly put out when his assailant begins landing punches to his back until he’s laying flat against the ground in defeat. His body was so sore from all the beatings he had taken in and he didn’t even want to move. He just wanted to close his eyes and just _forget._

The man lifts his hips up and Akaashi groans in pain. Without warning, his attacker shoves his erect cock inside his ass, tearing the muscle as he buries himself down to the base. The high school boy lets out a blood curdling scream that would have been louder had his throat not been raw from screaming and protesting against him prior. The man on top of him- _inside_ of him, lets out a pleasured moan and begins thrusting violently inside of him and it felt like his entire body had just been ripped apart.

“Fuck, you’re tighter than I expected…” The man grunts as the distinct sound of skin slapping against skin and pained wails is permanently etched into both of their memories.

Some time in, Akaashi had lost consciousness due to the immense amount of pain searing through his body. When he awoke, he was still in the pitch black dark with a dimly lit lamppost sitting several meters away. When he sat up he winced at the sudden pain in his hips and looked down to find his clothes had been neatly put back on aside from his unbuttoned pants and shirt. The memories of being violated so mercilessly flood back into his mind and if he had any contents in his stomach he was sure he would have vomited.

“I-I’ll kill him,” Akaashi’s voice was hoarse as tears pricked his eyes once more as he began to shake violently, “I’m going to find him and I’m going to kill him. I swear it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will take several years after the fact


	2. August 9th, Monday

Kuroo Tetsurou was one of the youngest detectives in not only his squad, but in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and he took pride in that. His first assignment was on a grisly string of murders supposedly connected to one person, or group. At least, that was what Oikawa, the lieutenant of homicide, told him. He had to wait for his partner to arrive before he even opened the files he was given. God, where was that dick? It was nearly noon!

Just then, the phone by his desk rang and he sighed and picked it up, “Hello?”

“This is the front desk, we have...an issue.” The receptionist sounds worried and Kuroo could have sworn he heard familiar screaming in the background and then suddenly a loud crash of glass breaking. He pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance before responding,

“Yeah, I’m coming down.” He hangs up the phone and begins to make his way into the lobby only to find a familiar friend of his arguing with not only the receptionist but the security guards as well. When sharp yellow eyes meet his he receives a toothy grin.

“Kuroo!” He shouts and pushes through the guards and swings a strong arm around his neck and pulls him in for a bear hug. Kuroo lets out a boisterous laugh and slaps Bokuto, the literal human owl, on the back. The receptionist cocks her eyebrow in confusion with a frown poised on her red lips.

“So, what seems to be the problem?” He questions the woman and she points at Bokuto, then to the irritated guards who didn’t get paid enough for this, and finally to the shattered glass lying on the floor with crushed hard candy. “Jesus, Bokuto what did you do?” He turns to his friend who mocks being offended and hurt by his words.

“How rude! First of all, I was minding my own business-”

“You weren’t.” The receptionist corrects with a glare and he continues,

“And then these guys suddenly attacked me-”

“You attacked us first.” One of them corrects, annoyed.

“All because they didn’t believed that I worked here!” Bokuto huffs and folds his arms across his chest.

“Then what about the candy and glass?” Kuroo questions as he eyes all the broken shards of glass.

“Oh, it was just really shitty candy.” The owl laughs and the receptionist glares even harder at him with grit teeth. The detective slaps a hand to his forehead in exasperation before speaking,

“Sorry about this,” He laughs nervously, “He may seem a bit hot headed but this guy actually works here.”

“Yeah, that’s right!” The owl nods triumphantly, only further annoying the security guards and the receptionist.

“I’ll send the janitor for this.” Kuroo gestures towards all the broken glass before giving another apologetic look as he turns to walk away with his friend that was already causing so much trouble. When they enter the squad room Bokuto looks around the room like a child going to an amusement park for the first time, trying to take in everything at once with a stupidly wide grin on his face.

"Whoa, I even have my own desk!" The owl laughs as he goes through the empty drawers as if expecting to find something exciting, "This is so awesome."

"You know what's even better?" Kuroo gives a lopsided smirk, piquing the other male's interest. Swiftly, he picks up the the case file of their first assignment and slaps it against Bokuto's chest. "Doing your fucking work."

"Fine, fine, I got it. So, what do we have?" He sighs and opens the case file and begins examining the various documents and photos.

"Just as it says: gruesome murders of only men. We haven't identified the bodies yet, we still have Kenma working on them in the forensics lab." The black cat explains.

"You mean the geek lab?" Bokuto corrects, not looking up from the file.

"Same thing," He laughs, "But seriously, we should go talk to Kenma for his report and see if he can identify any of the John Does." Bokuto nods and the two young detectives make their way down to the forensics lab, otherwise known as "the geek lab" by most detectives and occasionally their Sergeant of homicide, Daichi Sawamura. The pair had met each other in the academy and had hit off instantly. Individually, they worked quite well but once paired together their potential sky rocketed and the lieutenant had offered to give them their shields immediately if they worked under him in Homicide.

Upon entering the forensic unit of the department, Kenma was sitting idly in a chair with a game console in his hand, not even noticing the two detectives enter.

"Slacking off again?" Kuroo shouts and it echoes throughout the room, causing the bleached blonde to jump in surprise. Turning in his chair he glared at him briefly before sighing and putting his console down. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pristine white lab coat before speaking,

"Did you need something?" He asks irritably.

"I'm so glad you asked, kitten," He ruffles the shorter boy's hair somewhat roughly, causing him to groan in annoyance from his teasing, "But yeah, we need the autopsy report on those John Does from earlier this week." Bokuto nods, confirming his claim.

"You know I have other autopsies and reports to do, right?" Kenma raises an eyebrow as if they expected him to look over so many bodies in such a short period of time.

"But you did it, right?" Kuroo grins knowingly, "Captain's orders."

Kenma groans and rolls his eyes, "Of course I did. Hanamaki and Matsukawa had to stay for overtime to help me."

Kuroo nods, "Find anything weird?" The bleached blonde nods and motions for the detectives to follow him further into the lab. There lay several bodies on the table covered in a blue tarp. In the room were Matsukawa and Hanamaki forming an autopsy on another man and they greet the two lazily before getting back to work. Removing the tarp from one of the bodies Kenma spoke,

"Find anything wrong with this picture?" He questions and as they scan his body they see a shriveled stump between his legs.

"Did the killer cut off his dick?" Bokuto asks, wincing slightly at the sight. Kenma nods and pulls the tarp back over the man's corpse.

"All of them have had their penis cut off by what we believe," He looks over to the other two scientists and they nod, "To be a cigar cutter."

"What is this? Some sort of vendetta against men?" The black cat questions.

The short male shrugs, "Maybe. Or maybe just against a specific group of men."

"What do you mean?" The owl inquires, knitting his brows together.

"It's just a hunch but since we were able to identify one of the bodies by dental records we were able to find a criminal history of sexual misconduct and he was registered as a sexual predator," He explains, gesturing towards a body on the far right, "So, it's possible these men all share sexual deviancy and are being murdered systematically. Again, it's just a hypothetical."

Bokuto takes a steps forward as he rubs his chin in thought, "Let's say hypothetically that's correct," Kenma nods and listens to what he has to say, "Would it be accurate to say it's a possibility that their killer was one, or more, of their victims? Or just someone trying to be vigilant by cutting off dicks that have raped or believe to have raped?"

Kenma shrugs, "It's highly possible but that's not my job to decide." Bokuto nods affirmatively as he begins to think of multiple theories. While in the academy he was known for his brawn, his mind did process quite a lot which escaped many who knew him.

"Also, since their Johns are cut off shouldn't this case go to the Special Victim's Unit?" Kuroo questions and Kenma simply shrugs as he picks up his game console once more.

"Captain must've called dibs." Hanamaki interjects. The two detectives nod before turning back to each other,

"Wanna start by questioning his parole officer and those that knew the victim?" Kuroo asks the other detective and Bokuto nods.

"Lunch first?" He gives a sheepish smile and the black cat rolls his eyes.

*

Akaashi read an article on his phone about a horrible string of murders and attacks on men, their connection among them all remains unknown. The article doesn't say anything about any possible suspects or the fact that their dicks had been cut off. The police must be keeping it from the media for whatever reason. The male sighs and slips his phone back into the pocket of his apron. Recently he had found a comfortable part time job at a nearby café down the street from his apartment. His hours were flexible and the manager was rather kind.

"Hey, hey, hey!" A loud voice booms through out the café as the the door jingles from the bell on top of it. Peering over his shoulder, Akaashi watches two young men enter the establishment.

"What can I do for you?" He asks as emerald hues meet with yellow ones.

"Damn, you're pretty." Bokuto mumbles to himself.

"What?" He strains his ear but is still unable to hear what the man just said.

"What?" He watches the other's cheeks flush a light pink as the man beside him jabs him in the ribs playfully with his elbow.

"Two iced coffees and a ham sandwich." Kuroo says as he stares pointedly at his partner. Akaashi nods and begins making their beverages as they pay him and take a seat, waiting for their order.

"I can't believe you just told a stranger he was pretty," The black cat groans as he leans back into his chair. "Have some self preservation, man."

"It's not my fault!" Bokuto defends, "I didn't expect the barista to be so cute, okay?" He near shouts. Akaashi turns around at his words and a small smile creeps onto his lips. Without realizing it, a soft chuckle passes through his lips before going back to work, leaving Bokuto flustered at his careless volume.

"Bokuto-san, Kuroo-san, your coffee is ready." He announces from over the counter and the owl stands up to grab their drinks. He glances at the barista once more, getting a better look at him. His skin was fair and pale, making his dark green eyes stand out in contrast. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah- no, well yes-" He sputters.

"Which is it?" Akaashi tries not to laugh at his embarrassed nature. When he looks the male up and down he notices a police badge hanging from his neck. "Are you a police officer?"

"Huh?" He questions before looking down to see his shield resting against his chest, "Oh, yeah, we're detectives." He gestures towards himself and the man behind him who gives him a wave, amused by how royally his partner was fucking up.

"I see," His lips press into a firm line, "Thank you for protecting the public."

Before Bokuto even has time to gush, Kuroo stands up from the table and strides over to the counter and intervenes,

"You live here, yeah?" He asks, fumbling through the pockets in his leather jacket for something.

Akaashi nods, "I do, yes."

"And since it's such a small world," He pulls a photo of one of their John Does they had identified, "You wouldn't happen to recognize this man, would you?" The male takes a look at the picture and he frowns, recognizing one of his most recent kills. He was a man in his mid-forties who molested and raped several women in the Miyagi prefecture and skipped a scheduled meeting with his parole officer after just recently being registered as a sex offender, fleeing to Tokyo in hopes of starting fresh only to be caught slipping something into a women's drink when she wasn't looking at a certain bar.

"No, I don't think so." He responds almost monotonously. The memories are still fresh in his mind as he slowly bled out, screams turning into muffled cries until the man was silent and turning cold. He wonders if the police have figured out why all these wretched men have been silenced, permanently.

"If you ever see or hear anything in regards to these murders..." Kuroo's voice trails off as he hands him a business card for the police department. Akaashi nods and takes the card,

"Of course, I hope you find the criminal." The two stare at each other as if knowing the other has something to hide.

"So, I'm Bokuto." The owl leans into the counter as he gives Akaashi a confident grin. Due to the slick material of his jacket his elbow slips from its resting place and the detective tumbles to the ground, causing Kuroo to burst out laughing.

"You're really something else," He laughs as he helps his partner up from the floor. There was only so many times he could fuck up within the hour. "Y'know, I like it here. Let's have lunch here from now on." Bokuto grins and throws his arms in the air, knowing that he gets to see the cute barista every day. Akaashi smiles at them as they go back to their table and discuss their case.

 _'This could be a problem.'_ Akaashi thinks as he runs his fingers over the cigar cutter in the pocket of his apron. He looks over to Bokuto who was stuffing the ham sandwich into his mouth, _'Or an opportunity.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto is both a blessing and a curse


	3. September 3rd, Thursday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to do fluff but that never really works out lmao

It had been several weeks since the detectives Bokuto and Kuroo had decided to have lunch at a café where a certain pretty boy barista works. One day, Kuroo had to interview a woman who had claimed her daughter to be behind all these gruesome string of murders so the owl had gone to the café alone. Even after weeks of constant investigating the case went nowhere despite more bodies turning up. Kenma and the other lab geeks had identified nearly all of the bodies and almost all of them had a criminal record or sexual misconduct. From verbal sexual harassment to child pornography and rape. Those who weren't found with a history had spotless records, not even so much as a parking ticket. Had the victims been careful and yet to be caught or did the killer make a mistake? No, they were far too meticulous about their kills to not look into their victims. Perhaps they were being stalked in order to be sure they were not the innocent men they seemed to the public eye?

"Akaashi!" He chirps, happy as usual as the male entered the coffee shop, the bell ringing rather loudly since he practically slammed the door open. The other male turns and greets the detective with an inviting smile.

"Good afternoon, Bokuto-san," He sets down a coffee mug he was rinsing out and leans against the counter, "I see Kuroo-san isn't here with you, has something happened?"

Bokuto pouts, "What? I can't come alone?"

"No, it was just a bit unusual, that's all," He chuckles softly at his childish demeanor. Now that Kuroo was gone for whatever reason, he could move in on the owl without seeming suspicious. "I've actually been wanting to spend some alone time with you."

Bokuto can feel his cheeks grow hot as he grins, "Really?"

"Really." He nods before leaning back, "So, what can I get for you, Detective Bokuto?" He's teasing him and he knows it.

"Just the regular iced coffee," He laughs, "Whenever you make it, it somehow tastes better than the other baristas!"

"It's still the same recipe," he chuckles, "But if that's what you want, Bokuto-san." The detective hums in delight as the barista turns around and begins preparing his order. The owl tries his best to not stare at Akaashi's ass and fails. It wasn't flat and looked as though it would fit right into his hand even if he gave it several hard squeezes. He often thought about this without realizing and it showed. Usually Kuroo was there to slap him upside the head to make sure his thoughts weren't in the gutter.

"Say, Akaashi," The detective coughs in his hand and changes the subject to avoid having an erection in public, "Now that I think about it, I don't know you all that well, huh?"

"You think so?" He asks as he approaches the opposite side of the counter once more and hands the detective his coffee, "What would you like to know?"

Bokuto takes a sip from his coffee and hums in approval, "Anything. When did you move here?"

"About a few years ago," _After the incident_ , "I found a small apartment just down the road a few blocks so I can easily walk to and from work."

"Oh, I live opposite of that direction!" He laughs, "It's still not far, though. Right by a new tattoo parlor that just recently opened up."

"A new tattoo parlor?" The male questions, his interest piqued. 

Bokuto blinks in surprise a few times before laughing, "Yeah! I didn't know you had a thing for tattoos."

"Well I don't have any myself," He says, "I just have...an interest." Ever since he had been violated he had stopped by every tattoo parlor within all the prefectures in a twenty mile radius to see if any had recognized a blue sunflower tattoo. A woman said she had a friend whom designed a tattoo similar to what he was describing but the artist who did it had moved to a larger city. That was but a year ago- could this be it? There was a sliver of a chance but he was determined to take it.

"Well if you're ever there you should stop by my apartment, y'know?" Bokuto scratches the back of his head and smiles sheepishly.

"You sound like you're in middle school." He blurts out without thinking. There's an awkward silence between the two of them before the owl lets out a boisterous laugh, surprising the other.

"So that's how you feel?" He grins, "It's good to know you're so honest, Akaashi."

Just then the glass door to the café swings open, causing the bell to ring loudly. Behind them is Kuroo breathing heavily as if he ran here despite the standard issue police car parked outside.

"Bokuto, we need to go," He urges, "Now." The owl turns around in his stool and continues to sip at his iced coffee,

"What's up?"

"We got a 10-43* from dispatch just down the road at an apartment complex." He explains and opens the door wide for his partner.

"What apartment number?" Akaashi questions hurriedly since that was his apartment complex the detective was referring to. Kuroo and Bokuto are already out of the door and into the police car, unable to hear nor answer him.

"Is everything alright?" His manager peaks out from behind the break room door, worried. Akaashi watches the car speed off in the direction of his apartment complex,

"Shit," He curses silently as he begins to untie his apron, "I'm going on my lunch break." He says hurriedly before nearly sprinting out of the door.

It's about a ten minute walk from his apartment to the coffee shop, he finds its but only three minutes if he runs as fast as he can. He recognizes the police car and can hear sirens blaring in the distance. Akaashi climbs up the stairs and sees an apartment door, two over from his, wide open along with two voices he recognized conversing with one another. When he peeked into the room his eyes widened and he let out a horrified gasp. He remembers this man- he was a pedophile. A local middle school teacher and a man well respected by the community, luring out young boys to his apartment beneath his nose. This man didn't put up much of a fight since he was old and knew someone, be it someone like himself or the police, would come after him. He was resigned when Akaashi told him he was going to die- almost relieved. It was an almost boring kill.

"Akaashi, don't look!" Bokuto shouts as he begins striding towards him. He pushes him out of sight from the apartment, "What are you doing here?"

"I live here- I-I was worried, I'm sorry I shouldn't have..." His whole body was shaking and the owl's eyes softens when he sees how petrified the male before him is. He wondered if his act was selling and by the way the detective was acting in response he assumed correctly. Bokuto rubbed his chin in thought, turning to the apartment containing a corpse that was due to Akaashi, unbeknownst to either detectives, before turning back to him.

"You said you live here?" He asks and he nods, "It might not be safe here, go wait in the car for a bit before I get back to you, alright?" Akaashi nods before making his way down the the opposite flight of stairs. Bokuto must have unlocked the police car, or left it unlocked by mistake, for him to climb into.

It's about half an hour before the detectives are done investigating and they let the forensic team take a look at the body. The three males give Akaashi awkward glances as they make their way upstairs with equipment. When Bokuto enters the car in the driver's seat he eyes the male in the rear view mirror before speaking,

"I don't think you should stay here," He sighs, "Do you know anyone who lives in the area that you can stay with? Family? Friends?" He does but the owl doesn't know that and he certainly doesn't have to.

"I don't." He frowns and stares at his lap.

"...You can, I mean- if you want, you can stay with me until it's safe?" The detective is no longer looking at him but he can tell his face is red. The corner of his lips twitch slightly as he resists the urge to smirk.

"Is that really alright, Bokuto-san?" Akaashi's eyes brighten at his proposition, "I'd feel much safer if it was you."

"Do you wanna get your things? Just for a few nights- well, later today when the geeks are done." He smiles as he turns in his seat to face the other.

"I have to go back to work but my shift ends at six."

"Then I'll also go back to work," The owl chuckles, "And I'll pick you up at six."

*

Akaashi waits in front of the café after his shift ends. The sun was about to set and it would soon be dark. Luckily, it doesn't take long for a familiar police car to pull up in front of him with a detective grinning at him with his full set of teeth. He smiles back softly as he sat in the passenger's seat.

Bokuto's apartment was surprisingly neat although that could be because he was rarely in it long enough to make a mess. He was a hard working detective, after all. Akaashi noticed only a single bed and he frowned slightly. They'd only known each other about a month and the owl quite obviously had feelings for him. Whether they were romantic or sexual, he didn't know. He supposed sleeping with him wouldn't hurt although he had never touched, or let anyone touch him, anyone intimately ever since what had happened to him. Not women and certainly not men. Could he really do this? It would benefit him greatly in the future and he had to harden his resolve.

"I'm gonna take a shower!" Bokuto announces as he enters the bathroom and shuts the door behind him. Now that he was alone, he sat on the bed. It was rather soft and felt like it had barely been used. Akaashi's mind drifted back to sleeping with the other male. Would he be the bottom? Was he supposed to be submissive? The male ran his hands across the pristine white sheets. Curiously, he opened the drawer of the nightstand right next to the bed and wasn't surprised to find packaged condoms and personal lubricant.

It took fifteen minutes for the detective to take a shower and it took Akaashi only ten to decide to sleep with him. When Bokuto stepped out of the shower with wet hair and only boxers on was when he attacked him.

"Oh, hey A-" He greeted merrily but was cut off when the shorter male pushed him up against the wall. Determined jade hues met with startled yellow ones. Akaashi ran a hand down his damp chest while the other hooked around his neck. He pressed his lips against the other's, harder than he meant to. He had kissed women before but that was before something horrid had happened to him, not to mention they were mere pecks. Bokuto gasps and the male before him took the opportunity to slip his tongue into his mouth.

After several moments he pulled back, panting lightly as began to paw at his crouch. He was already hard. This was going to be easier than he would have thought.

"A-Akaashi..." Bokuto moans softly at his ministrations. He was confused and wished he would slow down.

"Bokuto-san, please fuck me." He had never heard the other curse and the words sounded exceptionally lewd when they rolled off his tongue. The detective looks at him with widened eyes and he opens his mouth to speak,

"W-Wait a sec..." Bokuto chuckles nervously before gasping lightly as Akaashi presses his clothed body closer to his.

"Fuck me." He growls softly as he kisses him roughly once more. If he was lucky, he would be quick and it would all be over soon. This was an opportunity he couldn't waste and it would benefit him in the future. He kept chanting that in his mind as he felt his own half-hard member twitch against Bokuto's large hard on.

Disgusting.

"Akaashi," He tries to talk through the kiss but the male just pushes him further against the wall. Suddenly he pushes the latter off of him by the shoulders and looks at him with a flushed face, "I'm telling you to wait!"

He shouts louder than he means to. He wanted the other male- he did, truly, but something didn't feel right. Something was off. Was his body normally so still and so cold? Almost robot-like if he had to pick a word. It seemed so... _forced_. Something told Bokuto the other didn't really want this, so why was he doing it?

Why did the owl push him away? Was it because he was dirty? No, he couldn't know about that. Nobody knew. If not that, then what? Was he misinterpreting his kindness?

"I-I didn't..." Akaashi sputters, mortified. "I'm so sorry." He utters ultimately before darting out of the apartment, ignoring Bokuto's calls. He ran down the street as fast as he could with tears brimming his eyes. How could he have been so stupid? Every touch felt like he was reliving a nightmare that had happened only a matter of years ago. Why did he do that? It was a mistake. It was like ripping open wounds that had recently closed and now began to become infected- filling with puss and beginning to rot.

As he slowed down and began to tire out he noticed bright lights near blinding him in the midst of the now darkening evening. Bokuto did say he lived by a tattoo parlor. Akaashi had decided to see if anyone there knew anything of a blue sunflower tattoo.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *= a 10-43 is a police code that means a murder needs to be investigated


	4. September 4th, Friday

When Akaashi entered the tattoo parlor he wasn't surprised to find it was just as bright inside as the blinding neon lights were that decorated the front of the building. He spots a woman with short blonde hair humming to herself as she carries a box. When she sees him she gasps and smiles, accidentally dropping the box. He jolted when the loud crash rang through the small parlor as the lollipop she was sucking on nearly popped out of her mouth. Just what exactly was in there?

"Sorry, sorry," She laughs and waves her hand as if to dismiss his concern, "I got excited seeing our first customer in the big city."

"I'm not a customer," The male explains somewhat awkwardly as he glances around the parlor, "I just have a few questions."

"Questions?" The woman quirks a brow as she crosses her arms across her voluptuous chest, "What kinda questions?"

"I was just curious concerning a specific tattoo." Akaashi explains, wishing he had bolted out of the apartment with at least his wallet to show the picture.

"Oh, I can help you with that," She places her hands on her hips as she lets out a crude laugh, "I haven't been around as long as Ukai but I'll see what I can do."

"Ukai?" He questions.

She nods and hums, "Technically the owner but everyone who works here knows Kiyoko is the one who pulls the strings around here."

"I don't really know any of those people but I'll take your word for it." He chuckles, slipping his hands into his pockets comfortably. The blonde woman is silent for a few moments before she plasters a grin across her face once more before extending a hand.

"I'm Saeko Tanaka! Glad to know ya!" She titters, the lollipop in her mouth clashing against the back set of her teeth.

"Nice to know you as well," He smiles and takes her small hand, that has a surprisingly firm grip, and shakes it politely. He wonders for a split second if it'd be wise to give his real name and thinks nothing of it, "I'm Akaashi Keiji."

"Saeko?" A woman with black hair that reached below her shoulders entered the parlor as she glanced at the stranger and back to her friend. They weren't technically open yet so she doubted it was a customer. "Who's this?"

"This is Keiji," She beams as she gestures towards the man. Akaashi was rather surprised to find that she decided to call him by his first name after just introducing themselves but he said nothing, "He's got some questions 'bout a tattoo."

Kiyoko looks the male up and down and sighs, deeming him relatively harmless, "There's a lot of tattoos out there. What exactly do you need from us?"

"I was curious if anyone in this parlor knew of a blue sunflower tattooed on the left arm." He points to his forearm, explaining where it would be. The woman tenses slightly as she grips the strap to her purse almost unnoticeably. Almost. Saeko bursts out laughing and roughly hits him on the back.

"Do you have any idea how many tattoos are like that in the country? Let alone the world?" She bites her lollipop and he's worried for a moment the sugary shards may have cut her tongue but she continues, "Besides even if we did know of it we couldn't tell you who. Customer confidentiality."

"I see." He says, slightly miffed about her abrupt attitude change but it doesn't show.

"If that's all then I'll be in the back." The woman sighs as she slips off her coat, revealing several tattoos adorning her pale arms. She gives one last glance to Akaashi as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, "It was good to meet you, Akaashi-san." On her left wrist she had a date in white ink, he hardly noticed it. He strained his eyes to see what it was and saw the date, _'March 15th'._

His eyes widened as the memories of being assaulted hit him like a tidal wave. He grabbed Kiyoko's wrist without thinking to stop her and she spun around to face him. Saeko stares at the two with her jaw hanging to the floor. Upon realizing his actions, he let go of her and stared down at the floor mumbling an apology.

"Can you," He licks his dry lips for a brief instant, "Can you tell me the significance of that tattoo?" He points to her left wrist, her expression unreadable.

"Not all tattoos have to have a significance." She adjusts her glasses and traces her fingers over the white ink on her wrist.

"But this one does, doesn't it?" He sounds insistent and isn't even bothering to keep a low profile anymore. He needs to know if she knows anything- he's sure she does.

"Perhaps," Kiyoko purses her lip into a firm line, "Why does it matter?"

Akaashi wants to insist she knows about his rapist, possible _their_ rapist, but he fights the urge to when they aren't alone. "You know why, don't you?"

Her expression continues to remain unreadable and they stare at one another in a heavy silence. A soft chuckle surpasses her lips and she turns around, beginning to walk away. The male opens his mouth to say something but it quickly closes when the bespectacled woman gestures for him to follow her. He does so, following her into the back of the parlor. Saeko throws her hands up into the air, clearly confused and exasperated.

The further Akaashi follows the woman into the back of the parlor, the darker it seems to get. He can't tell if it's his imagination or not but he stays silent. Kiyoko enters a new room and holds the door open for him. He watches her as he cautiously steps into the dimly lit room. In there were two psychiatrists chairs parallel to one another, a desk, and an abundance of dimly lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The woman takes a seat and he sits down in front of her.

"So," She says suddenly, crossing her long legs, "What do you want to know about March fifteenth?"

"I came here to ask you the same," He leans back into the chair, "As well as what you know about the blue sunflower tattoo. I saw the way you reacted when I asked you about it."

"I can't deny that I know nothing," She sighs, "But I can't say I can help you either."

"Anything is very helpful." He encourages.

"You go first then." She almost narrows her eyes at him, skeptical.

Akaashi swallows a lump in his throat and nods, "I've never actually told anyone."

"It's okay." She reassures him as she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"On the evening of March fifteenth, I was sixteen, I had to walk home from school. I decided to take a short cut through one of the nearby parks. A man with a blue sunflower tattoo approached me and asked for directions, and..." His voice softens and trails off.

"And?"

"And," He presses on, "H-He hit me, held m-me down, and...raped me," Akaashi can feel his eyes prick with tears as he silently relives the assault and forces the foreign words to roll off his tongue. He slaps his hands over his face to hide the fact that he was crying but a sob erupting from his throat was loud enough for the both of them to hear, "F-Fuck."

Kiyoko frowned at this and began sifting through her purse and handed him several tissues. He graciously takes them and wipes his eyes. She gets up and sits next to him.

"When was this?" She asks, rubbing a comforting hand against his shoulder blade.

"Four years ago," He answers with a self deprecating smile, "And it still messes me up."

There's a silence between the two for quite awhile before she speaks up, "I was seventeen when he approached me while I was taking a walk just before bed. He told me I was beautiful and I kept walking. Then he suddenly grabbed me and pushed me into a flower bed and...had his way with me."

"You too...?" He had a gut feeling that was the case but couldn't be sure.

She nods, "Yes. When I turned eighteen I got tattoos to cope with what had happened to me."

"Cope?" He frowns at this. It seemed she was healing perfectly and he had been stuck in the same place for so long. His efforts were fruitless but everything would be alright if he could just return the favor of what that man did to the both of them.

"Nobody believed me. Not even the police when I filed a report," She frowns as well, staring down at her lap, "I thought I could trust no one. Until I met Hitoka." She smiles as she runs her hand through her hair.

"Hitoka?" He raises an eyebrow questioningly.

"My girlfriend." She explains and he lets out an "oh" of realization.

"I don't think anyone would have believed me even if I had come forward." He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Because you're a man?"

"That too," He averts his gaze, "My body reacted against his touch- I didn't want it to. I didn't want _that_."

"It's not your fault," Kiyoko says immediately, "It's a natural physiological reaction. Arousal does not mean consent."

There's another dreaded silence between the two before Akaashi speaks, "I was a virgin," He rubs his eyes with one of his hands, "I was confused. I was ashamed. I didn't want to jeopardize my reputation. So I kept it my secret and locked it away for years."

"It hurts but sometimes truth can be the best medicine," She chuckles as she runs her hand up and down his back comfortingly, "But the shame is not ours to bear. It's his."

*

Bokuto frantically shuffled around his room to find his god damn phone. He heard it ringing but just couldn't find the source of the noise and it was just about to drive him crazy if it hadn't already. Scrambling to pick up his phone in time, he presses the device to his ear as he grabbed a pair of jeans and began to slip them on.

"Hello- _fuck_!" He curses as he nearly toppled over from trying to put his jeans on with one hand.

"Bokuto?" A familiar soft voice speaks.

"Kenma?" He puts him on speaker so he could properly get dressed and talk, "What's up?"

"It's about the body we found today- well, yesterday I guess," He grumbles as he stares at the clock that shown it was now past midnight. "And we have a finger print. Only a partial, though."

"Really?!" The owl near shouts into the microphone and Kenma winces, pulling the phone away from his ear.

"Yeah," He nods, "See if you can get any of the suspects to willingly give their DNA and prints. If not, get a warrant."

"Well, I personally would love to get warrants whenever I want to but I swear the ADA* hates me." He groans in annoyance as he slips on a shirt. He can hear Kenma sigh as he picks up his phone and takes Akaashi's wallet with him, the only thing he had brought, and walks out of the apartment in search of him since it had been several hours since he had left.

"Which is reasonable. Ask Kuroo to persuade Daichi or Oikawa." He offers.

"I'll get to that on Monday, damn it." He huffs before hanging up on the bleached blonde. When he turns the corner he runs into another man, shorter than him.

"Sorry, Bokuto-san." Akaashi apologizes as he looks away awkwardly.

"Oh- it's alright!" He says louder than he means to. Just exactly how was he supposed to react?

"I'm also sorry for earlier," He sighs, "I didn't realize you weren't interested in men. I mistook your kindness for something more." He bows his head apologetically. Bokuto furrows his brows at this and frowns. Without thinking, he grabs the boy by his shoulders and pins him against the wall, closing the space between their bodies.

"That's not it," He says in a low voice, "It seemed like you were forcing yourself and I didn't want you to feel obligated. I do like you- shit, I might love you." He laughs at his own brutal honesty, knowing fully well it will get him into trouble one day.

"I s-see..." His face flushed a bright red and he hopes it isn't noticeable in the dimly lit hallway of the apartment complex, "Then, can I kiss you?"

"Do you really want to?"

"I do," Akaashi eyes his lips with half lidded eyes. Bokuto grins and takes hold of his chin with his fingers and lifts his head up as he kisses him. The male hums in approval as he slowly wraps his arms around his neck. The owl slowly slides his hands down his thin waist and begins to slip one of his large hands up his shirt and he tenses out of instinct and pulls away, "T-That's..."

He immediately retracts his hands and pulls away from him, "It's alright," He smiles at him reassuringly, "I won't force you."

Akaashi nods, feeling uncharacteristically flushed, "Thank you."

"Let's go back to the apartment and sleep," Bokuto offers as he crossed his arms behind his head, "Don't worry, I'll take the couch."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Assitant District Attorney (prosecutor)


	5. September 7th, Monday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short! I have exams coming up and I wanted to get something out before then 
> 
> Also the italicized paragraph is a flashback from chapter 2 if it wasn't obvious

Bokuto woke up to the white ceiling of his apartment. He let out a loud yawn and turned on his side, expecting to find the soft, plush pillows of his bed only to be met with the hard floor. He curses under his breath and sits up as he rubs his nose. Peering over the couch, he saw Akaashi sleeping peacefully in his bed. The detective lets out a soft "oh" of realization as he remembered why he took the couch the last several days. Glancing at his phone, his eyes widened when he saw he was nearly two hours late for work. The male scrambles to his feet as he grabs the closest button up shirt. Slipping it on and hastily buttoning only a few buttons properly, he quickly nabs his gun and badge before darting out of the small apartment.

Akaashi jolted awake at the sound of the apartment door being forcibly slammed shut. He sat up in Bokuto's bed and lazily glanced over the room to find that the couch was empty. He concludes the other male had just recently left and he yawns before slipping out of the comfortable bed. It was nearly ten in the morning so why did he only now just leave? He can't help but wonder as he scratches his stomach and groggily makes his way across the room to the bathroom without haste. Suddenly, he hears something clattering against the wooden coffee table along with a series of timed vibrations. Looking over his shoulder, Akaashi saw what he assumed was Bokuto's cellphone. Letting out a sigh, he steps towards the coffee table and picks up the phone that would quite possible ring forever unless answered.

"Hello?" He tries to stifle a yawn as he rubs one of his eyes. He really wasn't a morning person but his shift started in about an hour.

The caller is silent for a brief moment before responding, "Who's this?"

"Who's this?" Akaashi quirked a brown as he glanced at the caller ID only to find it was a name he didn't recognize.

"This is Ushijima Wakatoshi, the captain of homicide for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Now, who is this?" The voice deepens slightly as if irritated.

"The police? Do you work with Bokuto-san?" He frowns slightly at this, not wanting to give his name to a complete stranger but especially not to the captain of homicide.

"I am his superior, yes. Why do you have his phone?" The man named Ushijima questions.

"He left it at his apartment." Akaashi explains nonchalantly. The captain is silent for another few moments before speaking once more,

"I don't suppose you can come down and give it to him." He can hear Ushijima sigh as if he had a long day despite it being nowhere near noon. Bokuto was a handful that needed proper guidance, they both knew that.

"I can do that," Akaashi eyes a nearby clock and searches the floor for his shirt and work apron, "I'll be there shortly." He says and hangs up.

The male pulled on his shirt and folded his work apron, slipping it on the underside of his arm. He froze when he realized his wallet, which contained not only the cigar cutter but his license, wasn't in the pockets of his apron.

Shit.

*

Bokuto panted heavily as he burst into homicide's squad room and those that looked at him either showed annoyance or concern. He whipped his head around to make sure neither the sergeant or lieutenant was in the room to see him arrive late to work. There was a sudden hand on his shoulder and he jolted as he spun around to find his Captain: Ushijima. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he gave a nervous chuckle. He opens his mouth to speak, to apologize for being late, but his captain speaks up first.

"You left your phone at your apartment." He says with a deadpan voice as he stares down at the detective pointedly, his gaze ever so intimidating.

"Huh?" Bokuto knits his brows together, confused, as he pats down his pockets for his phone only to find that it was, in fact, missing, "Whoa! How'd you know?"

"Because," He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "I kept calling you because you were late and someone else picked up."

"Someone else?" He questions before remembering Akaashi was at his apartment, "Oh! Yeah, sorry about that."

Bokuto sits down at his desk and Ushijima just shakes his head before he leaves the detective, entering his own office with a slight sneer from Lieutenant Oikawa. Seeing this, Detective Iwaizumi slapped him upside the head. The brunette whines and complains about how the detective should respect his superior even though everybody knows they're fucking each other.

The detective shifts his weight in his chair when he feels something unfamiliar in his back pocket. Slipping his hand through his pocket, Bokuto pulls out what looks to be a black wallet. He frowns slightly at this. This wasn't his. He opens the folds of the wallet and the first thing he sees is a license with Akaashi's face on it as well as the standard information that belongs on an ID. He looked much younger in this photo despite looking worn out; haunted. He stares at the photo for a few moments. Just what exactly happened to him? Opening his wallet he finds cash and something heavy at the bottom of the leather wallet. Curiously, he picks whatever it was up only to find it was a cigar cutter.

His eyes widen as he looks at the piece of metal and back at the photo that made the other male look like a ghost.

What _happened_ to him?

_"What is this? Some sort of vendetta against men?" The black cat questions._

_The short male shrugs, "Maybe. Or maybe just against a specific group of men."_

_"What do you mean?" The owl inquires, knitting his brows together._

_"It's just a hunch but since we were able to identify one of the bodies by dental records we were able to find a criminal history of sexual misconduct and he was registered as a sexual predator," He explains, gesturing towards a body on the far right, "So, it's possible these men all share sexual deviancy and are being murdered systematically. Again, it's just a hypothetical."_

"Holy shit," Bokuto stands up abruptly from his desk, knocking his chair over as he processes everything that was coming to him, "Holy fucking shit."

"Dude, gross." Kuroo looks up from his paperwork on his desk and almost sneers at him. The owl doesn't have retort as he grabs Akaashi's wallet and practically sprints down to the geek lab, mumbling chants of "holy shit" as he runs.

"Kenma!" The male yells as loud as he can as he enters the forensic lab. He startles the bleached blonde and he nearly drops his game console before glaring at him for being so loud and nearly giving him a damn heart attack.

"What?" He hisses irritably as he slips his game console into the pocket of his white lab coat.

"I need you to analyze a fingerprint for me," He says, out of breath. The shorter male opens his mouth to speak but the detective cuts him off before he has a chance to do so, "And I need a rush on it."

*

"Excuse me." Akaashi speaks politely to the receptionist to gain her attention. She gives him a quick glance and a blush rises to her pale cheeks. She smiles at him as she twirls a lock of her hair with her fingers.

"What can I help you with?" She leans forward as if trying to show off her breasts, which were rather small in his opinion, through the undone buttons of her blouse.

"I'm here to see Detective Bokuto," He smiles and he watches her expression turn sour, "I have something for him."

"Yeah, I got it so hold on," The woman sighs and picks up the phone as she dials several numbers, her long acrylic nails making an unpleasant noise against the machine. "He's not available right now. Would you like me to have someone leave it for him?"

Akaashi smiles and nods at her and she tries to hold back a smile of her own. Without warning he hears a familiar voice behind him.

"I can take it." Ushijima offers. When the male turns around to face the captain, the taller male freezes. He looks at the man before him up and down, but especially stares deep into his emerald hues. What was someone like him doing here? After all these years he'd never thought their paths would meet. And especially not after he saw that horrendous file of an abundance of information on him. But he distinctively remembers those daring eyes that never seemed to dull.

"Are you sure?" Akaashi questions and Ushijima snaps out of his trance. The captain clears his throat and nods as he extends his hand for what he expected to be the detective's cellphone from what he could hear of the conversation.

"Of course." He nods and extends his hand to which the latter places the owl's cellphone on. Akaashi thanks the man before taking his leave, fully aware of his deep olive eyes watching him as he exits the station and makes his way to work.


	6. September 11th, Thursday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank y'all so much for your comments and words of praise on this story! It really keeps me going and I appreciate every single one

Akaashi walks down the stairs of the small apartment complex with a bag of trash in his hands. Bokuto hadn’t been coming home the past few days, which was understandable considering his devotion to his job, so he had taken it upon himself to keep the apartment neat and tidy just in case he ever decided to stop by. Slinging the trash bag over his shoulder, he opened the lid to the dumpster and quickly tossed the garbage in and backed away before the stench was able to reach his nose. Turning on his heel, the male began to make his way back upstairs until he heard an unfamiliar gruff voice behind him,

“Excuse me,” He coughs awkwardly into his hand as if to get his attention. Akaashi slowly turns around as he gazes at the stranger, “You live here?”

He answers before he has time to think of an explanation to his living situation, “Yes. Can I help you with something?”

The man nods and scratches his stubble before reluctantly speaking, “Well, I just moved in downstairs and I’m required by law to tell anyone and everyone in the building that I am a registered sex offender.”

Akaashi eyes widen and he clenches his teeth so hard he was afraid he’d break a tooth with the intensity of his jaw. He hadn’t killed anyone in quite some time- he had no need to due to all of those disgusting pigs being slaughtered by him. Men, women, and children everywhere felt safer with him around. Even if it caused a pageant dilemma with the police for not finding him and many citizens telling them to drop the case already. They felt safe and those who didn’t had every right to be if they had committed a sex crime of any kind.

 _‘You’re a disgusting, filthy pig,’_ Akaashi thinks bitterly as he bores his eyes into the other man’s, _‘You’re the lowest of the low. Just die already!’_

“Well,” He coughs again, “That’s all.”

The raven haired man nibbles on the skin of his lower lip as he traces his fingers of a new cigar cutter, one he had recently bought, in his pocket. “Wait,” He says with a forced smile, “You seem like a nice man. May I join you in your apartment?”

The man whips his head around almost too fast for Akaashi’s liking and he grins with red cheeks, due to being able to invite a beautiful man into his home, “‘Course!”

“I’m glad,” The corner of Akaashi’s lips curve into a devious smile that could easily be mistaken for something else, especially to a stranger, “Lead the way.”

*

Bokuto stands in front of the bulletin board of evidence as he scans each and every picture of the victim's mutilated corpse, the time, and place of each victim. The bodies were never dumped but left in the same location the victims were murdered. The detective hadn't gone to his apartment or slept in days and it was showing with how dark the bags under his eyes were due to lack of sleep. He was running on nothing but coffee and pure, unadulterated inducement to find the killer- to try to prove Akaashi's innocence, or quite possibly give his conviction of guilt. If he thought about, actually thought about Akaashi being the killer, it wasn't nearly as far fetched as he had originally thought. He fit the profile the department's psychologist, Sugawara Koushi, had built and discussed with those on the case.

_"Considering this is a sex crime against only men it's likely this unsub* holds something very crucial against these men. Whether it's they've experienced sexual assault, or someone close to them, or even if they feel likes it's the right thing to do are all likely scenarios," Sugawara explains in the briefing room as he gestures towards several pictures of the mutilated corpses on the bulletin board of evidence, "This unsub is likely to be a women but do not, under any circumstances, rule out male suspects."_

_"Is that all you've been able to gather?" Iwaizumi questions, frowning at the lack of information for a profile._

_The psychologist smiles and shakes his head, "This unsub is by no means inexperienced and by the way the men's genitalia were cut with such confidence and precision shows that he's done this before- probably in other cities or prefectures. And from that we can gather that they aren't a local and moved here, at most, a few weeks before the murders officially started. They're likely to be young, ranging from the ages eighteen to twenty-five and most definitely live alone. They're highly intelligent to avoid the police for so long and should not be underestimated." He replies._

_Iwaizumi, as well as the other detectives in the room, seem satisfied, or at least can't nitpick it, with the profile._

"Detective Bokuto?" A familiar voice speaks behind him and he jolts in surprise, his coffee mug nearly falling out of his rigid grip. The owl spins on his heel to find Sugawara with a concerned expression etched onto his face.

"God, Doc, you scared the shit outta me!" Bokuto laughs, punching the psychologist in the arm not so lightly.

The other male gives a weak smile but turns serious, "You look exhausted," He says, placing a hand on the owl's shoulder, "When was the last time you rested?"

The detective crosses his burly arms across his broad chest and thinks for a few moments before responding, "A few hours ago in sergeant Sawamura's office."

"Daichi let you sleep on his couch?" He quirks a brow at this, surprised Daichi didn't force him to go home and sleep as opposed to just napping for an hour or two on a couch.

"Well," Bokuto grins sheepishly, "He's not here and he left his office unlocked..." His voice trails off and Sugawara pinches the bridge of his nose as he sighs.

"Let me rephrase; when was the last time you had more then four hours of sleep?" He squints his eyes at him, skeptical.

The latter purses his lips together in thought, "Sunday? It's fine though, I can still work-"

"Sunday?!" The psychologist sputters in disbelief as he places his hands on his hips, "It's Thursday! There is such a thing as over working yourself, Detective."

"Maybe, maybe," He nods, rubbing the stubble on his chin as he hadn't been home and thus had no time to shave, "But I can still work. I'm this close to finding a lead." He pinches his fingers close together to emphasize his point.

Sugawara sighs again, "Lack of sleep clouds your judgement and-"

"Shh, shh," Bokuto presses his hand against the other male's mouth, "Don't psychoanalyze my behavior, Doc."

"But I'm a psychologist," He laughs lightly, the warm air from his mouth kissing the detective's calloused fingers, "That's sort of my job."

"Just as it's my job to catch bad guys and put 'em in jail," The owl removes his hand from his mouth and approaches the bulletin board of evidence, "The killer has laid low for almost two weeks and- and, I'm trying to get into contact with all prisons and juvenile facilities within a twenty mile radius that will be releasing any prisoners who've committed a sex crime. I've also been on, like, a million phone calls with parole officers who have had suspicious activity from parolees who have, this is also a real shocker, also committed a sex crime."

"You work is admirable, detective," The lieutenant walks into the room with his usual charismatic smile, "But overworking yourself will put your work in vain. Trust me, I know."

Bokuto eyes Oikawa suspiciously, "How can I believe you're not trying to steal my thunder while I'm gone, L.T.?"

"How rude!" The brunette scoffs as he places his hands on his hips, "I care about this entire department and its detectives."

"I know," The owl grins, "But still, I can-"

"You can go home and get some rest," Oikawa says sternly and it doesn't exactly sound like a choice, "And if I see you in the station this weekend I'm assigning you to desk work for a week."

Kuroo slips into the room with a pleased smirk, "You good to drive?"

Bokuto rolls his eyes and throws his hands in the air, exasperated as he walks out of the squad room. "Everyone just get off my ass and work the case!" He shouts which is soon followed by a series of boisterous laughter as he exits the station.

When he arrives to his apartment complex he immediately senses something wrong. There are an abundance of the complex's residents gathered in front of the building, causing a commotion among themselves. A short blonde girl makes an attempt to push through the crowd as she tries to reach him.

"D-Detective!" She squeaks as she stumbles past everyone, nearly tripping over her feet.

"Yachi, what's going on?" He recognizes the girl who had moved into the complex recently with her girlfriend.

"Ah, well, you see," Yachi fumbles over her words nervously as she tries to string together a coherent response, "A pedophile recently moved into the complex and the residents with children are concerned..."

"A pedophile?" Bokuto's eyes widen once he realizes Akaashi's shift ended hours ago and should be in his apartment. The detective swallows thick, dry air, "What apartment number?"

"Oh, it's apartment one hundred and three, but detective please- oh!" She gasps as he bolts past her and the crowd of people in front of the two.

Frivolous thoughts race through his mind, making him incredibly paranoid. He finds the apartment on the first floor of the complex without a hassle. He swallows a lump in his throat and raises his fist to knock on the door when he hears glass breaking, which followed by a loud, shrill scream, behind the wood door. Bokuto's heart races as he takes a step back and kicks the door knob, breaching the locked knob and entering the apartment with his gun.

"Police, freeze!" The detective announces himself and his title as he forces his way inside the room. He glances around the living room and kitchen to find it empty. Seeing another room he has to inspect, the owl presses his back against a wall, taking a deep breath before he spins around and enters the room with his gun pointed at none other then a familiar back. The man was looming over someone else's body, likely the pedophile that had recently moved in. The male clenches his jaw tightly, teeth grinding together when he finds the latter covered in blood and holding a cigar cutter in his his hand. "Drop your weapon." He demands.

Akaashi's blood runs cold as he recognizes the commanding voice. He slowly turns and gazes at the detective over his shoulder with predatory emerald hues. Should he kill him too? The male stands to his full height, his blood splattered clothes clinging to his skin as he grips the cigar cutter in his hand.

  
"Drop you weapon, Akaashi!" His shoulders stiff and go rigid as he points his gun directly in front of his face. He didn't want to shoot him. The latter says nothing and continues to stare at him. He looks back at the body before slowly allowing the cigar cutter to fall from his hands. Bokuto lowers his gun but remains guarded, "So, you're the killer? You're the one who's been killing all of the men- the sex offenders?"

The barista stays silent as his eyes bore into the detective's. Should he answer? Or just stay quiet? It's not too late to attack him. He read a statistic that someone could charge at least twenty-one feet towards someone before they would be able to draw their gun. The distance between the two was only a mere five feet.

_He could do it._

"Akaashi!" Bokuto glares at him, "Say something!"

Akaashi looks behind him once more to view the body before quietly responding, "He deserved it."

"That's not for you to decide!" He seethes. The latter can't tell if he's angry, disappointed, or hurt. Maybe all three? "You knew I was working this case, didn't you?"

"Yes." He answers with some reluctance.

"So, you were just using me?!" He shouts and Akaashi jolts in surprise, "To try and corrupt my case because it was you?!"

_He could do it._

"I can't believe you blinded me for so long." The detective can feel tears prick his eyes but he tries his best to hold them back.

Akaashi takes a step forward, "In fairness, I tried very hard to blind you," He says in a low voice, "It doesn't have to end this way."

"What're you saying?" The owl frowns at this.

"You don't have to be a hero, Bokuto-san," He takes another step forward, "Stay blind."

"You know I can't do that." Bokuto warns, taking a step back.

Akaashi smiles, a self deprecating one devoid of any emotion aside from pity, "I know."

The serial killer slowly kneeled down onto the blood stained carpet with his hands side by side behind his back. Bokuto blinks a few times, astounded. He curses under his breath and calls the scene in on dispatch, calling for Kuroo and the forensic team. After he's done, the owl steps behind Akaashi and handcuffs him before yanking him to his feet by the cold metal that was now digging into his thin wrists. The homicide unit shows up in only a matter of minutes and the latter is forcibly taken from his custody by the lieutenant as he's hauled into a police car.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Unsub = unknown subject


	7. September 12th, Friday

Bokuto stood outside the police station with a cigarette parted between his lips. He fumbled with the lighter as his hands shook too much to properly use it. He curses under his breath and is just about to give up when he hears footsteps approaching him. The detective turns to see none other than his partner: Kuroo. Kuroo offers him his usual lopsided smile as he steps forward and takes the lighter from the latter's hold. The flame was dim but was bright enough to leave the owl almost mesmerized. He leans forward and allows the flame to light the end of his cigarette. Pulling back, the detective takes a long drag before blowing out the expected grey smoke.

"I didn't know you smoked." Kuroo says after a brief period of silence. He leans against the brick wall of the building and looks up at the dark sky. If it weren't for the city's pollution he was sure he'd be able to see the stars.

Bokuto stares at the pavement beneath his feet. He runs his hand through the trusses of his discolored hair before responding, "I don't."

His partner says nothing in return. He nabs the pack that Bokuto held onto without much of a grip. It was a cheap brand but certainly not the worst. His guess was that the other male just picked any pack off of the shelf at the gas station around the corner of his apartment where that barista had been arrested. Kuroo knew Akaashi didn't live there but didn't want to bring it up to Bokuto or anyone else if he didn't have to. He turns to his partner who took long drags from the cigarette. The end of the cigarette lit up brightly every time he inhaled.

"Did he say anything to you back there? Before you arrested him?" Kuroo asks curiously. He can't imagine anything didn't happen. Especially between those two.

Bokuto stays silent for a moment before murmuring a response, "Yeah."

"What was it?" He turns to him. He knew he was likely over-stepping his boundaries but they were best friends.

"Off the record?" The owl presumes as he stares at the butt of his cigarette, almost fascinated with the burning tobacco.

"Off the record." He nods.

"He confessed to the crimes." Bokuto says like it's nothing.

Abruptly the black cat steps forward and takes what he likes to call the "cancer stick" from his mouth and crushes it with his shoe.

"What the hell-" Bokuto sounds enraged despite not even remotely being addicted to tobacco.

"Akaashi's going to be interrogated soon," Kuroo grunts as he shoves the cigarette pack into his back pocket. The owl stays silent and frowns. "Do you want to watch?"

As much as he wanted to object and stay outside smoking and wallowing in his own self pity he needed answers. "Yeah."

*

Akaashi sat alone in the brightly room and wonders if the interrogation room was supposed to be so warm. It would make sense if the police's intention was to make a suspect uncomfortable. He had heard of several scandals involving the Tokyo Metropolitan Police when he had recently moved to the area but they were years old and used for nothing more than to entertain elderly women who did nothing but gossip. Assuming the rumors were true, or at least some of it was true, it wouldn't be very difficult to throw the detectives off with a comment of criticism. The male stares at his reflection in the two way mirror for a brief moment before glancing at the hands cuffs attached to a ring on the table, restricting him to minimal movement. There wasn't a clock nor a window in the room. Just a serial killer handcuffed to a table. Great.

It had been quite some time since he had been sitting in the room as he waited for someone, anyone, to enter. He was sure several detectives or their superiors were watching him through the two way mirror and observing his behavior and body language. He knew this and simply stared at the mirror as if it was an unseen battle of will between him and those behind the other side of the glass. Just then, a man enters the room. Alone.

"Hello, Akaashi Keiji," The man gives a smile and extends his hand towards him, "I'm Dr. Sugawara, it's nice to meet you."

Akaashi nods and shakes his hand, causing the chains of the hand cuffs to rattle lightly. "And you as well, doctor."

"Do you know why you're here, Akaashi?" He asks, opening a folder of documents and briefly skims them as he sits down in front of him.

"I can't say I do," He sighs, "The police just suddenly arrested me when I was trying to greet a new resident of the complex."

He raises a skeptical brow, "So you're saying you were at the wrong place at the wrong time?"

Akaashi suppresses the urge to smile and instead leans back in his chair, "Yes, doctor."

"Are you saying you're innocent of all the crimes against you?" Sugawara clicks his ballpoint pen several times before he begins to jot things down on a piece of paper.

"I don't even know the crimes against me." He lets out an irritable sigh and crosses his arms across his chest defensively. The latter takes notes of his body language as he continues to watch him curiously.

"Why haven't you gotten a lawyer?" The psychologist clicks his ballpoint pen a few more times.

"I haven't done anything wrong- this is just a misunderstanding." He leans forward as if to try to convince the latter.

Sugawara stays silent for a few moments and searches for something that would give the other male away. He sets the folder of documents down onto the table and crosses his legs. He glances back at the two way mirror for a moment before turning back to Akaashi who no longer showed signs of possibly feigned frustration. The suspect instead stares at him blankly, waiting patiently for some sort of response.

"Your behavior leads me to believe you are illicit." He says lowly.

"Oh?" Akaashi can feel his heart begin to race but he keeps his stoic composure.

"I don't know if you killed all those men," He uncrosses his legs and leans forward, "But I know you're not completely innocent."

"How would you be able to tell?" He inquires curiously.

"You've been in this room for almost an hour with almost no explanation as to why," He explains, "Innocent people get upset and defensive. You, however, just sat there and waited patiently."

 _'Damn, I hate shrinks.*'_ Akaashi thinks bitterly, staying silent.

After several minutes of silence and blank stares exchanged between the two men, there's an abrupt knock on the door. Without a word, the psychologist stands up and collects his notes but leaves the file on the table. When he leaves, two men, likely detectives, enter the room. One was tall with wavy, brown hair and a friendly smile but knowing brown eyes. The other was shorter than the latter and had an impressive amount of muscle and what seemed to be a permanent scowl etched onto his features. The man with brown hair sits down in front of him while his partner, who had jet black hair, leaned against the hard wall of the room with his hands shoved into his pockets.

"So, Keiji-chan," He hums, flipping through the file

 _'Keiji-chan?'_ Akaashi ponders about this. Nobody had ever addressed him by such a girly honorific but he didn't question it.

"We know why you killed them." The detective says without warning.

"Iwa-chan!" The lieutenant frowns at him as he snaps his head around to face him. "Don't corner him like that!"

 _'Is this supposed to be good cop, bad cop?'_ Akaashi wonders as he watches the two bicker for a brief moment.

"It's not really your fault," He ignores his superior and continues, "They were all sex offenders, right? You were just taking out the trash, weren't you?"

The male stays silent and eyes the detective. They were all filthy pigs and deserved everything he gave them but he couldn't just admit that. Instead, he says nothing.

The brunette frowns at the sudden tension before opening the file. He pulls out a photo of a mutilated corpse. "This is one of the many men you killed."

"That's not-" He begins but is interrupted.

"And another." Oikawa pulls out another photo of a mutilated corpse and slides it across the table but Akaashi avoids his gaze.

"Look at it." Iwaizumi demands, almost sneering.

Sweat trickles down the back of the serial killer's neck as he slowly turns to the two photos in front of him. He remembers these men- they put up a fight and Akaashi had to be aggressive to subdue them. He wasn't used to beating on his victims but if that's what it took to incapacitate them then he had no choice but to do so. The man in the first photo had abused his authority as a college professor and raped his female students. The second filmed and distributed child pornography.

"Are you getting off on this?" Iwaizumi shouts when he sees the suspect looking at the pictures almost with a sense of pride.

"You told me to look at them, detective." He says plainly which causes the latter to grit his teeth.

A heavy silence fills the room. Was this also a tactic? He wasn't sure but what he was sure of was that he severely overestimated the police. What a waste of time.

"When were you raped?" Oikawa asks bluntly.

Akaashi's eyes widen slightly and he swallows thick, dry air before forming a response, "Pardon?"

"I said," The lieutenant leans forward so he's able to meet the latter eye-to-eye, "When were you raped?"

"I wasn't-" He sputters defensively.

"Don't lie to us." Iwaizumi warns.

"You know from what Suga-chan told us earlier was really interesting. Don't you think so, Iwa-chan?" Oikawa hums, a small smile curving onto his lips.

"Which part?" The detective questions, circling around the small room slowly, "The part where he said the killer was likely impotent because of his past or current sexual trauma?"

"No, no," Oikawa shakes his head, "The part before that."

"You mean how most rapists either use a ruse to catch their victims off guard or just attack without warning?" He answers again.

_“‘Scuse me,” A gruff voice speaks suddenly, "Do you happen to know where I can find this address?”_

Akaashi jolts in fear at the sudden memory and his knee hits the underside of the table. He winces at this and bites his lip softly. The two immediately notice the erratic change in his body language and nod at each other, deciding to use it to their advantage against him.

"Did the person who forced themselves on you use either of those?" The brunette pushes.

Akaashi lets out a nervous chuckle, "I'm telling you I wasn't-"

"Except you were." Iwaizumi leans in close and grips the other male's shoulder.

"Don't _touch_ me!" Akaashi shouts suddenly. He stands up abruptly and backs away from the latter, causing the chair he sat in to crash to the floor. He take several steps back, as far as the handcuffs that chained him to the table would allow him. His breathing grows rugged and erratic.

"What's wrong, kid?" Iwaizumi takes several steps forward, intentionally trying to antagonize him.

In front of him he doesn't see the detective interrogating him. Instead he sees the man with the blue sunflower tattoo. Panic consumes his very being and he jerks desperately at the handcuffs to try and rip them off to no avail. Instead, the harsh metal digs into his flesh, tearing at the pale skin. Akaashi can't even find it in himself to speak, curse, or even cry out. His throat dries and begins to close up as his breathing becomes more and more unstable.

"D-Don't come n-near me!" He warns, his voice shaking uncontrollably.

"He's hyperventilating," Oikawa gasps and stands up from the table and approaches the latter, "Keiji-chan, we need you to calm down-"

"Get away from me!" He screams, jerking on the chains even harder only to be brought with more pain. The two men edge closer to him slowly as they attempt to calm him down. Akaashi's eyes blurs with tears and clenches his teeth as if he were a cornered animal about to be devoured.

"Hey! You need to-" 

" _No!_ " He cries out as he sinks to floor, visibly shrinking as he curls up into a ball with his hands covering his face desperately, "No, no, no, no." He sobs uncontrollably. 

"We need you to sit up, Keiji-chan." Oikawa speaks softly, almost a whisper. 

"I'm scared," Akaashi rasps as another sob wrecks through his rib cage, "I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared- please don't do this to me."

*

On the other side of the two way mirror stood Kuroo and Bokuto as they watched the interrogation. The black cat watches with a certain degree of both interest and aggravation. He and his partner had been tracking this serial killer for weeks and when they had caught him their lieutenant was the one taking all the glory. He sighs irritably and turns to the owl who had a horrified expression as he watches through the two way mirror closely, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white.

"Detective Bokuto." A low voice from behind the two speaks suddenly. The owl turns around to find his captain, Ushijima, standing before him.

"Yeah?" He questions, surprised he wasn't watching nor leading the interrogation in the first place.

"My office, please." He orders before swiftly turning around and walking away. Bokuto gives a hesitant glance to Kuroo before following him in.

When he enters the office Ushijima motions for him to take a seat in front of his desk and he complies. There's a file sitting on his desk that looks to be a bit worn down but still in decent condition. Bokuto looks back up to his captain expectantly.

"I have to ask," He sighs, "Did the suspect say anything to you while you had him at gun point? I know you've already wrote your report but I want to clarify with some details."

The detective's heart stops in his chest for a brief moment before it begins beating rapidly. A bead of sweat slides down his temple. If he tells his captain Akaashi had confessed to the crimes he would have already sealed his fate. What would they do to him? Prison for life? Capital punishment? He couldn't bring himself to think about those things about the person he loves. As fucked up and inconvenient as it was he couldn't deny that he fell in love with Akaashi. He licks his dry lips briefly before answering,

"No, sir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNN
> 
> *Shrink = informal term for psychologist


	8. September 13th, Saturday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the following chapter to make sense please google hebephilia

“Detective,” Ushijima sighs defeatedly as his hands clench into tight fists, “What I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room nor be repeated. Ever.”

“Yes, sir?” He tries to respond as calmly and casually as he can. Bokuto swallows hard at what his captain would say to him. Did he know he was lying? Was he going to be fired? Or even charged with interfering a murder investigation?

“Four years ago I had a detective who worked with the homicide unit. I was the lieutenant at the time and we were...close.” The captain states lowly. He leaned back in his chair and could remember that incident as if it were yesterday.

*

_Ushijima and his subordinate, a good friend, sit in their patrol car as they watch the entrance of the fame growing crows: Karasuno high school. The brunette stares intensely at the doors as they wait for the school day to end and for students to start going home. A murder attempt had been executed on a first year and had not a teacher intervened he would have died. The boy’s mother demanded the police find the suspect and charge him with attempted murder. Honestly, he felt it was blown out of proportion and once they would apprehend the suspect, who was a senior, in custody he would likely only be charged with assault as there was no evidence he was aiming to kill._

_“Doors are opening,” His subordinate chimes and sits up in his seat after dozing off every so often with an open magazine over his face. “There he is!” He jabs a finger out the unrolled window and identifies the subject._

_Ushijima nods and exits the car and makes his way over to the senior with the other male right at his heels._

*

“...We arrested the boy and unfortunately had to add another assault charge after he tried to take a swing at me,” He sighs once again. Bokuto nods, listening intently. He wasn’t sure if this story had a point but regardless he was interested and eager to listen, “When we finally apprehended the suspect and got him into the patrol car was when everything started to go awry.”

*

_“Detective are you- what are you looking at?” Ushijima asks as he closes the car door behind him. The latter was still staring at the teenagers making their way out of school._

_“Look at her,” He says softly, in awe, “She’s prettier than any actresses or models I've ever seen!”_

_Ushjima looks over to the girl the detective had been practically jabbing his finger at. She tucks a stray lock of black hair behind her ear and makes her way to the back of the school. The young woman was rather petite despite being well endowed. She wore glasses and had pale, porcelain skin with a mole below her lip. She was just the detective's type._

_"She's underage." The lieutenant narrows his eyes at his subordinate who still seemed to be drooling over her despite the fact that she was a minor and thus protected by the law._

_"I'm just saying she's pretty!" The detective laughs and playfully punches the other male's shoulder, "I'm not allowed to look? Don't be so straight faced all the time and enjoy the view, Wakatoshi." He grins with absolutely no shame._

_"Remember what we discussed; only looking." He says lowly._

_"And no touching. Go it, miracle boy." The detective grins from ear to ear._

_The brunette let out a sigh before climbing back into the car. After a few more perverted glances, the latter shortly joined him in the vehicle as they drove off to the police station in an uncomfortable silence._

_The next few weeks the detective seemed...off, somehow. When it began to affect the way he handled his job and his own health was when the lieutenant had intervened in this unhealthy behavior. When he confronted the male he didn't do it as his superior but rather a good friend. He regrets not keeping it professional. If he had...what the future unfolded wouldn't have happened. When Ushijima demands to know what's wrong the detective stays silent for a few moments before everything he had been holding back comes out fast and hardly coherent. The man tells the latter to slow down and try again as his concern for his friend and colleague grows._

_"You'll hate me," The detective bites his lip, "It's bad."_

_"I won't." The lieutenant assures him. He watches the detective let out a weak laugh as he pulls out a slightly crumpled pack of cigarettes. This caused Ushijima to frown as the man only smoked when he was incredibly stressed out but he decided not to say anything._

_"You remember that girl?" He questions, softer then a whisper as he struggles to light the cigarette between his lips, "The one from Karasuno?"_

_Ushijima quirks a brow. Where was this going? He didn't like it. "I do."_

_"I," He begins before hesitating. He takes a deep drag from his cigarette and hangs his head low in shame, "I...fucked her."_

_Ushijima's eyes widened. He wanted to think his own detective wouldn't do such a thing to a minor. Despite the fact how the detective did joke around often this was clearly no joke. With all of this, the lieutenant was at a loss for words which was something not easy for someone to accomplish. It was still difficult to wrap his head around the thought of a respected law enforcement officer committing such a heinous act._

_"Is this a confession?" Ushijima asks lowly after some time, unable to stand silently with an open crime to look into._

_This time it's the detective's turn to stay silent. He cracks his neck and takes another long drag from his cigarette before speaking, "I can't go to jail."_

_"Detective-" He starts but is interrupted._

_"I don't regret it. Even I know it was wrong but I don't regret it, Wakatoshi." He confesses, shoving both hands into his pockets as he puffs smoke from the corner of his mouth._

_"How can you say that? You're a protecter and a defender of the law. You-" Once again the lieutenant was cut off._

_"Don't you think I know that?! You don't think I know how much I messed up?!" The detective screams back, his entire face flushed with shame and anger, "I told you because-"_

_"Because you'd think I let you manipulate me into letting you off the hook?" He frowns._

_"Because I knew you would understand why," The detective drops the cigarette from his mouth and crushes it under his foot, "You're the only one who understands my urges, miracle boy. I just...slipped up a little."_

_The detective pulls out a file and hands it to his superior. Ushijima takes it without complaint and begins skimming through its contents. Just as he had thought. He was practically stalking the girl as there was intimate, detailed information about her from her blood work to her recent undergarment purchases. There was an alarming abundance of pictures of the unaware girl that were collected in the file as well._

_"You knew you could talk to me whenever you had urges." Ushijima grunts as he continues skimming the file._

_"I know, I know," He sighs, "But...this time I really couldn't help myself. She was just so...perfect."_

_Without warning the man closes the file and sharply turns to his subordinate. "Even so, you broke our agreement."_

_"Are you going to send me to jail? With real pedophiles? She was seventeen- practically legal!" The detective tries to defend._

_"Rape is still rape, detective," Ushijima hisses coldly, "And you are no longer a detective here. I'm stripping you of your badge. You're fired." The lieutenant turns on his heel and begins to walk away._

_"You're not going to arrest me?" The man asks, surprised by his former boss' demeanor._

_"Do you want me to?" He glares daggers at him as if to say 'don't push me.'_

_The latter shakes his head fervently from side to side, denying the claim._

_"Get out of my sight this instant," He warns lowly, "And never come back, Satori."_

*

Bokuto stares dumbfounded at his captain with his jaw agape. He couldn't believe someone such a stickler for protocol and the law would just kick a sex crime under the rug. And from one of his own officers at that! He swallows audibly before speaking, "Sir, why are you telling me this?"

"Because when he had left Tokyo he had wandered around various cities and prefectures. He became infatuated with the teenage Akaashi Keiji," He says bluntly, "I only know this because I visited him in jail last year for an unrelated crime."

"Y-You're saying Akaashi- the suspect, was raped just like we thought?" The detective felt his heart drop into the pits of his stomach as dread began to consume him.

"That's right," The captain confirms with a simple nod, "So detective, are you sure he didn't say anything when you had him at gunpoint?"

Bokuto's digs his nails into the palm of his hands before shaking his head, "Yes sir. He didn't say a thing."

The two men stare at each other for what feels like forever with a silent battle of will. Brown eyes boring deeply into the latter's bright, flaxen hues. Both of their composures are kept and not even something as minuscule as an involuntarily muscle twitch deterred either of the males from getting what they so desired. For the captain it was the truth and for justice to be taken despite everything that's happened. Even if the truth of his former detective's sex crimes came to light and an investigation would be open on the entire homicide division. For the detective he wanted so irrationally for a short lived peace even if it would lead to a violent discourse in the near future. The two continue to stare at it each other without either of them wavering to show their determination for what they believed in and wanted so desperately to cling onto even if it was immoral or wrong.

Without warning the door to the captain's office abruptly swung open and in rushed detective Iwaizumi. He seemed frantic and was damn near sweating bullets. Before he could even open his mouth to speak an ambulance siren blared within the background. Within only a matter of seconds several paramedics were running into the building where lieutenant Oikawa had led them to the interrogation room. Bokuto's eyes dilated as he quickly sat up and ran past the other detective. Before he even had a chance to get a glimpse of what had happened he saw Akaashi's body being rushed out on a gurney with blood covering his arms and abdomen. When the owl had looked into the interrogation room he saw blood splattered against the table and walls of the room. His mouth hung open as he felt his heart stop promptly before speeding up at an abnormal pace.

"He jerked two hard on the handcuffs and accidentally, or maybe not, slit his wrist." The lieutenant says without hesitation as he studied the other male's reaction.

"Let me see him," He nearly choked on his words, "It's just minor, right? Let me see him."

"What?" Oikawa blinked several times, aghast, "You have no reason to-"

"Do I need a reason as a detective to wanna lock up bad guys?" He says lowly with his usual happy-go-lucky demeanor turning dark, "He can't stay and hide in the hospital forever."

He had hoped his facade worked against his insightful superior and after a few moments of tense silence the brunette spoke, "Take Tetsu-chan with you."

*

When the two detectives arrive at the hospital, all is eerily serine despite the fact that the facility was, knowingly or not, treating a serial killer. A nurse leads them to Akaashi's room where the male lay unconscious as Doctor bandage both his wrists. The owl can catch a glimpse of the black stitches the grooved within his arm but he says nothing.

"We're with the Tokyo metropolitan police," Kuroo says to the doctor as he just about finishes up wrapping the stitched wounds, "Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Yes, of course." The doctor looks a bit taken aback about what the police would want to ask him about but he complies nonetheless. The two exit the room and carry the conversation out into the hall until their voices and footsteps eventually fade.

"Nurse?" Bokuto calls to the woman adjusting his IV.

"Yes?" She looks over her shoulder briefly before going back to work.

"What can you tell me about his condition?" He questions, trying to remain as emotionally distant as possible.

"I don't know an awful lot but he was rushed in about half an hour ago with split wrists," She explains, "He was thrashing about and causing a commotion so we had to sedate him. Hence why he's unconscious right now aside from the blood loss."

"Sedated?" He quirks a brow, "Do you know when he'll be lucid?"

The nurse shakes her head, "Maybe a few hours? A day? It's indefinite, I'm sorry."

With that apology the nurse writes something on her clipboard before leaving the room to tend to her other duties within the hospital. Bokuto stands there for a bit- feeling incredibly out of place. Seeing as Akaashi was sleeping soundly the detective decided to pull up a nearby chair and sit next to the hospital bed. The male's chest rose and fell steadily with each breath. Just then, Bokuto felt his phone chime and then vibrate. Who could possibly be calling? When he glanced at his phone he found it to be one of the lab geeks: Kenma.

"Kenma? What're you calling me for?" The owl wonders. The distant feverous clicks in the background and the long pause before Kenma opens makes him think he's playing a game.

"Yeah, I'm calling about the rush on that fingerprint analysis you ordered," He hums before clicking his tongue due to not being able to beat his previous high score, "And the ones found on the cigar cutter match the ones found on the wallet and apron you had me pull prints from."

The detective's blood ran cold as his heart felt like it might be crushed by the weight of the news. He knew Akaashi had done this- maybe he was just trying to blindly wish for some hope despite the undeniable evidence against him.

"I see," He leans back in his chair and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Alright. Transfer your information to the cap-"

"Bokuto-san?" 


	9. September 17th, Wednesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ollies in 4 months later with Finger guns* Ayyy *ollies out*

Akaashi's eyes slowly fluttered open as his now conscious body almost instantly felt heavy and lethargic. He closes his heavy eyelids once more and unconsciousness just nearly takes over his mind. He hears Bokuto's voice, not directed at him of course- was he on the phone? It takes more will then be had anticipated to open his eyes once more to peer at the detective who was in fact chatting on the phone with god knows who. Likely someone from the precinct.

' _Oh, that's right_ ,' He thinks, lazily turning his head to the side to get a better look at the detective who was more focused on his phone call, _'I was apprehended by him...so what's he doing here?'_

"Bokuto-san?" He calls out much weaker then he meant to. It doesn't even sound like his voice anymore.

The owl looks at him with a mixed expression of surprise and doubt. Regardless he quickly denies whatever request he made until further notice before quickly hanging up. His posture is stiff and straight as if in the presence of someone he should cautious of. Well, it's only natural, Akaashi reasons with himself, the latter did walk in on him in the aftermath of one of his murder victims.

"How do you feel?" He asks after a long pause of silence. He can't help but stare at the bandages wrapped ever so neatly around his thin wrists.

"Tired." He offers monotonously, craning his head upwards to get a better look at his expression. He found it oddly fascinating; especially since the expression was worn by someone so typically happy-go-lucky.

"Did you," Bokuto swallows a nervous lump in his throat, "Did you do it on purpose? Hurt yourself, I mean..."

Akaashi can feel his eyelids grow heavy and he struggles to keep them open. He makes a half assed attempt to sit up only to find he can't due to being handcuffed to the side of the bed. He stares at it, bewildered, before sighing defeatedly.

He's so _tired_.

He wants to stop running and rest.

But he can't stop now, there is still so much more for him to do.

He has to find his rapist- _her_ rapist too. Akaashi wonders if Kiyoko knew of his arrest. When he thinks about it, as clear as he can while being under god knows what, he finds it's more then likely. He hopes she's safe at home with her girlfriend she named as Hitoka when they had first chatted.

"It wasn't on purpose." He finally answers.

"Have you had something happen like that before?" The detective questions, trying to watch his words.

Akaashi shrugs and casts his gaze on the wall across the room, not even bothering to hide his disinterest.

Bokuto lets out a frustrated sigh and means far enough across the bed that the latter has no choice but to look at him, "I can help you," He urges, "I know what happened to you, Akaashi."

He can feel his blood begin to boil within his veins and his eyes narrow, glaring daggers at him with a certain kind of passion, "You don't know _anything_  about me."

The detective doesn't falter, "That's not true," His expression softens but he remains persistent, "I know what was done to you...and I know who he is."

Akaashi's emerald eyes grow wide at the detective's words. He found that he couldn't even form the simplest of words. They clung to his tongue as his lips parted slightly, preventing him from being able to properly form a response. He wants to yell at him, scream and curse for even claiming to know anything, let alone everything, about what he did to him. The serial killer jerks his arm out to grab him by the neck only to find his movements once again restricted by handcuffs. Bokuto doesn't even react when the other male instead grabs him by his tie and pulls him in closely.

"What could you possibly know? You know exactly what I'm capable of and yet you came here alone. Isn't that a tad foolish, detective?" The harsh words roll off his tongue with a certain lingering malevolence.

Bokuto opens his mouth to reply before a familiar voice rings in his ears.

_"What I'm about to tell you can't leave this room."_

Ignoring these words, he speaks, "A former detective of the metropolitan police raped you and another young girl roughly just a year apart. He was fired but no charges were pressed and nobody knows about what he did except for four people. You, that girl, me, and..." His voice trails off but he presses on, "The police exists to serve and protect not to harm without justice."

Deep green eyes widen in horror as his heart hammers within his chest, threatening to break his ribs. How could someone who has only just begun as a detective and knew next to nothing about him learn all of this information so quickly? Akaashi notices Bokuto's flaxen eyes flash with undeniable passion as he speaks, however. He opens his mouth to say something, anything, but struggles to find the words to form a coherent sentence as his mental state continues to deteriorate. He lets go of his tight grip on the detective's tie, his hand, now shaking, goes limp. A million thoughts race through his mind all at once and his breathing speeds up to a near uncomfortable extent.

"W-Why," His eyes water up as he becomes quickly overwhelmed with this new information, "Why are you telling me this? I'm done for."

"That's not true," The owl states confidently as he wraps an arm around Akaashi's back to help him calm down a bit, "I can help you, I can, but I need something in return."

He nods hesitantly, "What do you need from me?"

"The truth," He replies, "About everything."

*

"Huh? Are you serious?" Kenma groans into the phone as he leans back onto his chair in defeat, "How can you have me do all of this work and then tell me to just drop it?"

"Sorry Kenma!" Bokuto chimes over the phone, "I'll treat you to whatever game you want no matter how expensive!"

The bleach blonde pursed his lips in thought, "Any game I want?"

"Yup!" The detective agrees.

"Well, it's not out yet but you could preorder it for me..." The medical examiner murmurs.

"Just send me a link or whatever and I'll get it for you," Kenma can practically hear him grinning over the phone, "Again, loose the reports of everything I asked for you to look into, thanks against again!"

"Everything-?" Before receiving a proper response Bokuto hangs up on the male without so much as a second of hesitation.

The bleached blonde grumbled and shoved his phone into the pocket of his lab coat. He kicked his feet against the nearby wall and rolled himself across the room to the file cabinet. With ease he opened the drawer and plucked out the file and rolled his way over to the paper shredder. Without even giving it any major thought he began shredding the papers and unknowingly destroying the only solid evidence against a serial killer.

*

It had been several days since Akaashi was released from the hospital and was sent to the local jail for holding. He was intending to plead not guilty but Bokuto was going to make sure this never goes to trial. He had thought about it for days on end- it kept him up at night as he had to strengthen his resolve for what he had to do.

"Hey, hey, hey!" He greats enthusiastically to the man guarding the evidence locker.

He looks up from his book Indifferently, "Can i help you," He waits for Bokuto to flash him his badge, "Detective?"

"I have to go into court tomorrow to testify and I'd like to look over the evidence one last time." While it wasn't a lie he certainly had other motives.

"Name and case number?" He grunts lowly as he picks up his pen.

"Detective Bokuto Koutaro for case XY689." He says slowly so the man could log it into the book with ease.

With a sudden beep the caged door to the entrance of the evidence locker unlocks and Bokuto lets himself in leisurely. He skips pass the box of evidence marked 'XY689' and continues down the long corridors for Akaashi's case. When he reaches it he skims through its contents to find a bloody cigar cutter, a forensic report on the crime scene from that pedophile's apartment, and a detailed medical report written by Matsukawa. He had to think carefully of what evidence he had to dispose of because he obviously couldn't get rid of all of it. Thinking on it now, without a murder weapon all of the evidence pinned against him would be considered circumstantial and certainly not enough for a judge to take to trial. Without a murder weapon...he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bokuto's throat suddenly goes dry as he reaches for the evidence bag that contained the cigar cutter. He was having doubts that caused him to freeze up just when he thought he had hardened his resolve as though it were steel. The detective clenched his eyes shut and quickly shoved the bag into his boxer briefs before placing the box nearly back on its shelf as if it hadn't even been touched. He takes a deep, shaky breath and strides out of the evidence locker, giving the book keeper a fervent goodbye, more curt then he means to.

*

Akaashi side glances his defense attorney as the prosecutor lists off all the charges pressed against him. The judge raises a brow at the young man who had never once been accused of anything or had so much as a parking ticket to his name. Regardless, no matter how unfamiliar he seemed with courtprocedures he would continue to judge him without bias.

"Akaashi Keiji, how do you plead against the charges against you?" He questions.

"Not guilty, your honor." He states quietly yet with confidence.

"Due to the nature of these crimes you are accused of," The judge sighs, "Bail will be set at one million yen and you will be remanded to Fuchu Prison until your hearing date."

The court room guards escort him out with ease. Despite everything he was calm and collected, entrusting Bokuto entirely. He earned a new respect for the detective. He wasn't nearly as simple minded as Akaashi had originally thought the man out to be.

When he arrived to the jail, and went through some rather humiliating search procedures*, he was dressed and assigned a room with three other men. Two were playing a card game on the right side of the room on the bottom half of a bunk bed. On the other side of the room was a man with bright red hair on the bottom bunk skimming through...a porn magazine. Akaashi can't help but cringe.

"You could at least make an attempt to be subtle about your contraband!" One of them laughs, he was rather short and had messy hair.

"If you're jealous just say so, Yuu!" The man with red hair practically sing-songs.

"Um..." Akaashi announces his presence somewhat awkwardly as he holds his uniform and bedding close to his chest, "Is there assigned bedding?"

All three men stare at the boy incredulously, not even noticing his presence. The man with the red hair eyes grow wide in disbelief before his lips curve into a smirk. 

"Hello newbie!" He stands up to his full height and greets Akaashi as if it were normal to do so in their situation. The boy he called Yuu snickered silently, "And the bedding is officially unofficial as far as assignment goes."

Akaashi shifts uncomfortably and avoids eye contact. Without any reason as to why he found himself anxious beneath his stare. He nods and tosses his given belongings onto the top bunk of said red head.

"Not even going to greet your new room mates?" The third man clicks his tongue. His head was shaved and he appeared to have a bit of muscle on him. He was glaring at his new room mate intimidatingly.

"I don't plan to be here long," Akaashi explains before peering over his shoulder to look at the man, "So there's no need for formalities."

The man seems as though he's just about ready to lunge at the latter before Nishinoya presses a firm hand against his chest to prevent him from doing so.

"Relax, Tanaka." He offers a grin and Tanaka grumbles under his breath before the two resume their card game.

The man with red hair keeps his eyes focused on him, "What should we call you then?"

Akaashi stays silent for a few moments before responding, "Akaashi Keiji."

"Cool! The shortie over there is Nishinoya Yuu, he's in for assault, that baldie is Tanaka Ryuunosuke, he's in for gang related activity, and I'm in for theft," He lists off of his fingers as though he were reciting just for him. He extends his hand with a grin hiding something he just couldn't put his finger on, "And I'm Tendou Satori. Good to meet you, Keiji."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know I've been dragging this out for a while but next chapter is definitely the LAST. So, you, the readers, get to determine the outcome. Should there be a happy ending to this exceptionally angsty story? Post your answers in comments!
> 
> *When going into jail they search you to make sure you aren't concealing a weapon,phone,drugs,etc. They make both men and women squat, spread their cheeks, and cough


End file.
